


at last, forever

by cinnappo



Category: Super Junior
Genre: AU, Angst, Fluff, M/M, Prompt Fic, longfic, season spirits au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-26
Updated: 2014-11-26
Packaged: 2018-02-27 02:23:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2675399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinnappo/pseuds/cinnappo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It wasn't exactly a <i>forbidden</i> love, per se. At least, that's what Ryeowook told himself. But as a spirit of autumn, the cost of loving a human could be more than he could bear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	at last, forever

_Summer wanes and Autumn reigns,_  
 _Winter's chorus, Spring's refrain._  
 _Each in turn the throne they trade,_  
 _To every turn, a season made._  
 _Springtime Daughter, Summer's Queen,_  
 _Hold a tale of yet unseen,_  
 _Prince of Autumn, Winter's Son,_  
 _Here our song has just begun._

—

Leaves of crimson and gold danced on the breeze, and Ryeowook never felt more at home. 

He sighed in content, curling his fingers around his paper cup of hot cocoa and leaned back against the bench. The sweet scent of autumn lingered around him, the late November air crisp but not too chilly. He burrowed his chin into his scarf and smiled. It wasn't often that he got a moment to himself, and soaking in the autumn around him gave him strength. Laughter of children echoed across the wide lawn, but otherwise the park was calm, and the sky was clear. 

By the time Ryeowook had drained the dregs of his cocoa, he spotted a familiar tuft of dark hair poking out over the top of what looked like a scarf monster heading his way on the jogging path. Ryeowook shook his head, biting back a groan. He should have known that the man would show up just when he got a moment's peace. The man plopped gracelessly on the bench next to him, tugging the scarf monster down beneath his chin. After it was clear Ryeowook had no qualms about keeping quiet, he cleared his throat. 

"They've started to notice, you know," he said without preamble. 

At this, Ryeowook stilled, eyes going wide. The man's stern gaze cut through him and he sighed, setting the cup beside him on the bench in favor of wringing his fingers together. "And I suppose you wouldn't have anything to do with them noticing, would you, Kyuhyun?" 

The man called Kyuhyun frowned. "As a matter of fact, I don't. They'd have to be blind to miss how much you've been slipping up, and I don't appreciate you insinuating that I'd betray your trust." A sharp gust blew between them and Kyuhyun's frown deepened. Ryeowook hung his head as though he'd been slapped. 

"I know you wouldn't betray me like that," he said quietly. "But I also know you like to worry, and if you thought it'd be for my own good, well." His words trailed off into a murmur. 

Kyuhyun rolled his eyes and held out his hand as though he expected Ryeowook to give him something. Ryeowook offered one of his own in return. Kyuhyun grasped him by the wrist, laying his other hand on top of it and closed his eyes. Several breaths passed before he spoke again. "Your power wanes, Ryeowook," he said. "Much faster than before. It's no wonder you haven't been able to keep up with your tasks."

"Enough with the snark. You've made your point," Ryeowook snapped. Kyuhyun cracked an eye open at him. 

"Remember, I'm here doing you a favor," he said. Ryeowook ducked his head again, subdued. "I stand by what I've told you before. It'd be best for you to return so that you can restore yourself. The longer you linger in the human realm, the more you fade. There's only so much that I can do for you here, and once you fade entirely you'll be beyond any help I can give." 

It wasn't entirely surprising news, but unwelcome nonetheless. "How long do I have?" said Ryeowook. He could feel his hand trembling under the weight of Kyuhyun's grasp. Kyuhyun pressed his fingers a little tighter, squinted a little more. 

"At this rate, you wouldn't make it to the winter solstice." The lines on Kyuhyun's face softened, and he began to hum. Ryeowook looked around and saw a few leaves on the trees nearby turn colors before his eyes, and at the same time he felt the familiar warmth trickle up him arm from beneath Kyuhyun's fingertips. When he'd hummed a dozen measures, the leaves had turned from a yellowish-green to blazing oranges and reds. 

Kyuhyun finally opened his eyes and let Ryeowook's hand fall back to his side. "There, that ought to do you for now. Make sure you take it easy, or else you'll just burn right through it and be back where you started." 

Ryeowook took a shaky breath, and smiled weakly up at the younger man. "Thank you, Kyuhyun," he said. "I really appreciate it."

"Don't thank me just yet," Kyuhyun muttered. "That'll buy you some time, but not much. I suggest you get your affairs in order, because the next time I see you I'm dragging you back with me whether you like it or not. I'll be damned if I let you fade on my watch." 

Get your affairs in order. Ryeowook inhaled sharply and his head snapped up as Kyuhyun set about rewrapping his scarf around his face. "I'm not leaving Jongwoon, if that's what you're suggesting," he said, as Kyuhyun stood to leave. "You knew I wouldn't leave him when you agreed to help me. There's got to be some other way that I can sustain myself here."

Kyuhyun heaved a weary sigh that was muffled by his scarf. "We don't belong here, you know this. We're only meant to come here for our duties to the land. We're not humans, human though we may feel at times." He turned to the same trees that had comforted Ryeowook earlier, in their turning of colors. "How you've lasted almost twelve seasons here is beyond me, even with my help. I thought for sure you would have faded long ago. I'm sorry, Ryeowook, but short of another spirit giving you all his power, you're going to have to give Jongwoon up." 

A lump formed in the pit of Ryeowook's throat. Kyuhyun must have sensed his anguish, because he gave the older man a quick pat on the shoulder. "Either way, you'd end up leaving him. A spirit and a human… it would never work. At least this way, you get to say goodbye." 

With that, Kyuhyun left Ryeowook sitting on that park bench. His words rang in Ryeowook's ears. Any earlier contentment he had gotten from being there earlier had long since seeped from him, turning as quickly as the leaves had. He ran a frustrated hand through his auburn hair, willing back the tears that burned behind his eyes. 

A quiet chime from his coat pocket made Ryeowook jump. His stomach churned anew as he saw he had a message waiting for him from Jongwoon. He couldn't even bring himself to look at it, instead just silencing his phone and stuffing it back in his pocket. 

_What am I going to do?_

—

As an autumn spirit, or a Prince of Autumn as it was called among his kind, it was Ryeowook's responsibility to help usher in the season, and he thoroughly enjoyed it. Nothing quite compared to sitting atop a great oak tree, encouraging it to shed its crown of emerald with a song. He sang to the trees, his voice like a blanket that staved off the chill from coming in too soon and echoing down to the flowers to tell them to close their summer buds. It wasn't quite magic, but then again, it was magical to behold. 

But his task could not be rushed — after all, winter didn't come in a day. So it wasn't unusual for spirits like himself to take up human residence and occupation, at least for the duration of the season, and then they would return to their own realm for the rest of the year. Ryeowook quite enjoyed living with the humans almost as much as he enjoyed the reason for which he was there. 

It was living amongst the humans on a day not too long after the autumn equinox nearly three years ago, that Ryeowook met Jongwoon. 

The late September air was still warm as Ryeowook sat perched in his favorite tree at the park, singing a human folk tune he'd learned at his job at the music academy. (How fitting that such a musical spirit would find work in such a place, Ryeowook thought in amusement the day he found the job). It was a perfect song for this time of year, when summer still played along the edges of its time.

Ryeowook sang and sang, swaying with the branches as they danced to his music. So enthralled was he in his own magic, that he almost didn't hear the sound of a guitar filtering from somewhere nearby. He trailed off, curious to see where the guitarist sat. Peering through the trees proved to be a moot effort — not enough leaves had fallen from the crests — so he hooked his legs around the branch he sat on and swung backwards to hang down beneath the canopy. 

"Ahh!" 

Ryeowook blinked. On the bench beneath his tree sat a man who looked like he might have been a few seasons older than Ryeowook, if Ryeowook were human. His dark hair was more akin to a mop on his head, and his equally dark eyes were wide with shock. Ryeowook coughed sheepishly. 

"Did I scare you?" he said, trying for polite. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I didn't realize you were sitting right there." He reached up for a grip so that he could swing his legs down, dropping the few feet so that he could face the man right-side up. "I'm Ryeowook." He held out a hand.

The man cleared his throat too, loosening his white-knuckle grip from the neck of his guitar to shake the offered hand. "Jongwoon. And it's okay, just startled me, is all. I heard you singing, but I guess looking up in the tree wasn't the first place that sprung to mind." He paused. "If you don't mind my asking, what were you doing up in the tree, anyway?"

"Besides singing?" Ryeowook chuckled. "Nothing, really. Just a hobby of mine." He couldn't exactly tell Jongwoon what the singing entailed. "I haven't seen you around these parts. Did your job bring you here?"

"Something like that," said Jongwoon. He held up his guitar. "I'm kind of a traveling act. I just moved into my new place yesterday, and I went to go scope out some places that might have a few gigs open but…" His face turned a bright shade of pink. "I, uh, have to admit I'm woefully lost. My phone died and I didn't bring my charger with me, so I don't know how to get back."

Ryeowook blinked. "Do you have the address? I could let you borrow mine if you wanted."

"Would you really? That'd be great," said Jongwoon. He rummaged around in his pockets and fetched out a rather worn sheet of scratch paper, address scribbed down in faded pencil. Ryeowook gave it a once-over, before giving out an incredulous laugh. 

"Well, would you look at that!" he said, earning a confused look from Jongwoon. "That's my building! So you're the owner of all those mysterious boxes outside the apartment next to mine last night." He held up the paper and pointed to the unit number. "I'm in 415, so I guess that makes us next door neighbors. I was just going to stop and head home soon when you came, so we might as well walk together since we're going the same way."

Jongwoon readily agreed, quickly packing up his guitar. The walk wasn't a long one, and the conversation was pleasant between them, just more than the introductions. Ryeowook kept this particular thought to himself, but Jongwoon wasn't so bad on the eyes, either, if only he weren't human. Spirits could love, but it didn't happen often, and when it did, it was never with humans. Neither could thrive in each other's worlds, after all. 

_It's always the cute ones_ , Ryeowook lamented. Even so, Jongwoon seemed like an interesting person, and since they were neighbors it was the perfect excuse to be friends, at least. It was why, when they parted ways at their doors, Ryeowook wrote down his number on the backside of Jongwoon's scrap paper. 

"If you ever need anything, or if you get lost again, don't hesitate to call, okay?" he said. "Or, just come knocking." He grinned, and Jongwoon grinned back. 

"Thanks, man. I appreciate it. And I'll try not to be a burden." He waved and turned to go inside, but Ryeowook called out. 

"Welcome to the neighborhood, Jongwoon!" _That wasn't too much. Nope, not at all,_ he cringed inwardly. But Jongwoon didn't seem to take it that way. He just waved again and left Ryeowook standing in front of his own door, feeling part giddy, part like a fool. He sighed at himself and let himself into his own place.

 _Just friends._

—

On the last day before the winter solstice, Jongwoon kissed Ryeowook for the first time. 

As usual, Ryeowook slipped off after finishing the day at the music school to tend to his season. He lingered a little longer that day, smiling fondly up at the building as he left for the last time. With autumn nearly through, he'd have to return to his own realm. There was no need to say goodbye to them — this time tomorrow, they wouldn't remember he'd ever been there.

There was definitely one person he wanted to say goodbye to, though.

Ryeowook thanked his stars that there weren't too many leaves left clinging to their branches that he had to coax down this time. He'd done well this year, the blanket of leaves covering the ground to protect the earth from the coming snow even underfoot. Merely singing a half dozen measures set him well for the day, and he hurried to the lounge where he knew Jongwoon played his guitar in the evenings. 

Chords filtered through the glass as Ryeowook approached the shopfront, clear and strong despite being muffled through the doors. Ryeowook closed his eyes and savored the sound for a long moment, locking it away in his memory for safe keeping. Then he peered in, smiling at the sight of Jongwoon lost in his strumming. It almost hurt to disturb him when he was so clearly in the zone, but Ryeowook tapped lightly on the glass anyway. Jongwoon startled, looking up in surprise at the little wave Ryeowook gave through the window. Ryeowook couldn't help but giggle a bit as Jongwoon flustered for a moment, quickly setting the guitar on the bench he vacated and hurried to unlock the door. 

"Ryeowook! What brings you here this time of day?" he asked, clearly not expecting any company. It wasn't too early, but early enough that the lounge wasn't open to the public yet. Ryeowook had the sense to turn pink, realizing he had quite rudely barged in without notice. 

"Well, you mentioned you had a gig tonight when I saw you this morning and I sort of happened to be in the area so…" He cleared his throat and gave a bashful smile. "I thought I'd drop in and check it out, and we could head back together since we're going the same way. I hope I'm not interrupting," he added quickly, nodding to the guitar. 

Jongwoon nearly flapped, waving his arms wildly. "No no, not at all! I was just warming up." He finished lamely, pointing a thumb over his shoulder at the guitar. They stood awkwardly in the doorway for a moment before Jongwoon gathered his wits about him and cleared his throat. "But uh, come in! Would you like to sit down? The bartender and the line cooks aren't here yet, so it's just me." 

Ryeowook smiled brightly. "Of course," he said, slipping past Jongwoon into the bar proper as the other man shut the door behind him. Secretly he was glad that he'd made the decision to stop by. He'd miss this silly human when he left. He'd gotten closer to Ryeowook than any other had, though maybe it was just because he saw him on a regular basis. "What song was it you were playing, though, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Oh, that," said Jongwoon, clearly embarrassed. "That was just something I came up with. I don't really play anything in particular when I warm up, I just kind of… play." 

"It sounded amazing," Ryeowook said earnestly, and Jongwoon flushed bright red. "I'm serious! And if that was just you messing around, I can't wait to hear what your set is going to sound like tonight. If it's anything like what I heard from you the day we met in the park, I'll bet it's going to knock everyone's socks off." 

"You don't sound too bad yourself, when you sing." As soon as the words left his lips Jongwoon looked like he could have smacked himself. "I mean, that day, in the park? Even if I didn't see you at first, I heard you singing and was just playing along, and… yeah. You sing really nice." If it was red before, Jongwoon's face was positively crimson now. It kind of reminded Ryeowook of a tree in the peak of autumn, if not for the fact that he felt his own face heat up, but he laughed in spite of himself. 

"I'm flattered you think so," he said, and Jongwoon chuckled sheepishly. The door swung open and the bartender grunted a greeting, and the nervous air thinned out between them. "You ought to get yourself set up, right? Don't mind me, I'll just sit over here where I'm not in the way." Jongwoon nodded, picking up his guitar and moving to the stage area. 

Ryeowook slid into a seat at the bar and watched as Jongwoon began to strum again, and another smile tugged across his lips. Yeah, he was definitely glad he stopped by. He just wished he didn't feel like he was lying to Jongwoon, too. He supposed it didn't matter, since Jongwoon wouldn't remember he ever existed once he left the human realm, but he still didn't like it. 

Soon, the little lounge was bustling with people and the sound of guitar chords cut over the constant murmur of conversation. Jongwoon's voice followed soon after, and Ryeowook was completely enthralled by the timbre of it. More than that, Ryeowook was enthralled by how Jongwoon became a completely different person when he sang. Gone was his silly, awkward next-door neighbor, and in his place a quietly confident man with a powerful voice that was clear as ice. 

"First time hearing him sing, huh?" Ryeowook turned and saw the bartender grinning at him. He slid a drink across the bar, which Ryeowook accepted with a nod. "He's a real talent. Makes all the ladies swoon. And you too, apparently," he added, to which Ryeowook choked on his drink. "Your face is all sorts of gooey right now, son. Best watch your footing with him, though. He's a bit clumsy and will trod on your feet if you're not careful, if you know what I mean." He winked, then turned back to another customer. 

"I am a Prince of Autumn," muttered Ryeowook indignantly under his breath. "My face does not get all sorts of gooey." He clapped absentmindedly for the rest of Jongwoon's set, earning a couple of strange glances when it wasn't the proper moment for applause. But he listened in rapt silence. After a couple of songs more, Jongwoon stood and gave one last bow, packing his guitar up in its case and picking his way through the crowd to the bar. 

"How'd you like it?" he asked, looking more nervous than he had any time he'd been up on stage. "I messed up a couple of times, but I think for the most part I didn't do too bad."

"Too bad?" Ryeowook echoed incredulously. "That was incredible! You've been holding out on me, I didn't know you could sing like that!" He caught himself there, the words _you're going to have to sing for me more often_ dying in his throat. That was a dangerous road, and one he couldn't let himself go down. 

Jongwoon look fit to burst with pride, try though he might to stifle. "Now who's flattering who," he murmured, smile lighting up his face. "Anyway, shall we split? Normally I'd stay but I don't want to keep you, you've already been here for a while." Ryeowook nodded, and turned to pay the bartender for the drink, but was turned down.

"On the house tonight, son, you only had one," the bartender said. He winked again, and added, "Remember what I said!" Ryeowook coughed to cover his embarrassment and stuttered out a few words of thanks, letting Jongwoon lead him outside. 

They walked in a comfortable silence, the streets quiet even though it wasn't really all that late out. Ryeowook would say that figured Jongwoon's voice must be tired from all of that singing, but it would have been an excuse. In reality, he was trying to figure out how he was going to break his departure to Jongwoon. Even if the disappointment was only going to be for a couple more hours, at most, he didn't want to intentionally cause Jongwoon any pain. Especially if it meant Jongwoon would lose the content smile that still hadn't left his lips. 

Before Ryeowook knew it, they were back at their apartment building and quickly climbing the stairs to the third floor. They stopped in front of Ryeowook's door, and both of them started to speak at the same time.

"Can I tell you something?"

"I have a confession to make."

Ryeowook gulped, looking up at Jongwoon who suddenly looked nervous again. "You go ahead," he said, and Jongwoon bit his lip. He opened his mouth and closed it again, and twice more before he sighed. 

"I'm not that great with words," Jongwoon admitted. "So forgive me if this is a bit too much." Before Ryeowook had the chance to figure out what he meant by that, Jongwoon had already stepped into his personal space, tipped his chin up and pressed his lips to Ryeowook's in a chaste kiss. Ryeowook took a sharp breath through his nose, and then instinct took over. He reached for Jongwoon's arm, stepping up on his toes to meet the kiss. Though it felt like an eon passed between them, Jongwoon took a step back after only a few moments had passed, turning red all over again. He slid Ryeowook's hand down to grasp it in his own, and squeezed. 

"That's what I wanted to tell you," Jongwoon whispered. "That I uh… yeah. I really like you a lot, Ryeowook." He bit his lip again nervously, but he seemed pleased that Ryeowook had at least reciprocated the kiss. After another beat of silence, he added, "Your turn. What'd you want to say?" 

Emotions Ryeowook had never struggled with battled in his head. How was he supposed to tell Jongwoon that he was leaving after _that_? And despite that he knew in his head that he shouldn't feel this — this longing — for Jongwoon, he couldn't help it. Maybe it was kinder to Jongwoon to just let him think that everything was okay and let his memory of Ryeowook slip quietly away. But even the mere thought of doing that made something ache in Ryeowook's chest.

Had he really fallen in love with him in just the span of one short autumn? What had happened to just being his friend?

"Ryeowook?" 

"I…" He didn't want to leave. "I really like you too, Jongwoon. That's what I was going to tell you. You just beat me to it." He beamed up at Jongwoon, hoping that the shine in his eyes didn't give away the tears he barely kept at bay. Squeezing Jongwoon's hand in return, he leaned up and pressed another quick peck on Jongwoon's lips and smiled. "You should go rest. You've earned it."

The shy, pleased look from earlier turned to a stupid grin on Jongwoon's face. "Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" The hopeful look in his eyes nearly broke the dam on Ryeowook's tears. 

"Of course. Good night, Jongwoon." With that, he slipped his hand from Jongwoon's and let himself into his apartment, giving one last wave and smile before he closed the door. Then he flopped back against it and slid down it, scrubbing at his eyes with the heel of his hands. 

He didn't want to leave. The taste of Jongwoon's lips still lingered on his own, and his heart was racing up in his throat. He couldn't leave now. 

No, he decided. He couldn't leave now. He wouldn't.

—

The winter solstice had come and gone, and the end of the human year had drawn quickly to a close. It was Ryeowook's first winter where he wasn't watching from the realm of the season spirits, and though the excitement for it had quickly dwindled when he realized just how _cold_ it got he couldn't quite muster the energy to be grumpy when Jongwoon positively thrived in it.

Seeing Jongwoon play in the snow brought Ryeowook a happiness he'd only ever known when greeting autumn with a song. At least, it brought him happiness until Jongwoon launched a snowball at him that hit him square in the face. 

"Jongwoon!" he spluttered, shaking the snow off of his lashes. Jongwoon merely gave him a cheeky grin, another snowball at the ready. "I'll get you for that!" He ducked just in time, the second snowball soaring over his head. Jongwoon screamed in laughter and turned tail to flee as Ryeowook chased him down. 

"You'll never catch me!" Jongwoon sang over his shoulder, and Ryeowook wondered if Jongwoon actually was a fully grown man and not just a giant kid. But Jongwoon really was much faster than Ryeowook. So Ryeowook stopped running, instead bending over and scooping up a fist full of snow. Jongwoon kept running anyway, throwing gleeful taunts. 

Tongue poking out between his teeth, Ryeowook carefully took aim, wound up the throw and…

Missed. 

Missed Jongwoon, but hit someone else right on the back of the head. Whoops. 

Ryeowook clapped both hands over his mouth, glaring daggers at Jongwoon who was quite turning red from the effort it took to keep from laughing. "I'm so sorry!" Ryeowook called, running over to the person he'd hit. "We were goofing around over there, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to…" Ryeowook's words trailed off as the person turned around, greeting him with his usual scowl. "Kyuhyun?" 

Irritated didn't even begin to cover the look that crossed Kyuhyun's face when he recognized Ryeowook — he was downright thunderous. "Do you have _any_ idea," he started, and Ryeowook felt the color drain from his face. He was spared from whatever it was Kyuhyun had intended to say as Jongwoon jogged up to stand beside Ryeowook. 

"Ryeowook, who's this?"

Ryeowook blanched, suddenly feeling very small beneath Kyuhyun's angry stare and Jongwoon's confused glances. "Kyuhyun, this is Jongwoon," he said slowly. "And Jongwoon, this is Kyuhyun. He's…"

"My brother," Kyuhyun said, his eyes boring holes into Ryeowook. Jongwoon blinked. 

"You never told me you had a brother," he said. His tone wasn't accusatory, merely searching, and Ryeowook felt his throat tighten with guilt. 

Without missing a beat, Kyuhyun replied, "He's the black sheep of the family, I assure you. Do you mind if I have a word with him? Alone, please, if you don't mind." 

Jongwoon looked like he minded very much, but he glanced at Ryeowook, who shook his head, and decided to keep his mouth shut. "Of course. I'll just, uh… Ryeowook, want some cocoa? There's a cafe across the park, I can go get us some."

"Yeah, sure," Ryeowook mumbled, and Jongwoon's frown became more pronounced as he made himself scarce. Kyuhyun watched him go, waiting for at least to be out of earshot, mindful of the way Jongwoon kept glancing worriedly back over his shoulder. Then he rounded on Ryeowook. 

"Who was that, Ryeowook?" he asked, his voice sharp as knives. Ryeowook flinched. 

"I told you, his name's Jongwoon—"

"I'm not asking about his name!" Kyuhyun said, his voice nearly rising an octave in his anger. "You didn't return to the realm after the solstice, and the trees whispered nary a word about where you'd been. Do you have any idea how worried we were? I thought something might have happened to you!" 

Ryeowook hung his head. "I'm sorry, Kyuhyun. I didn't mean to scare you," he murmured. "For what it's worth, I'm fine."

"It's not just me you scared, you idiot," Kyuhyun snapped. He took in a deep breath through the nose, and forced it out on an exhale. "Why didn't you come back on the solstice?" 

Silence hung between them like a curtain. Ryeowook let that do the talking, pointedly looking away from Kyuhyun, eyes searching in the direction that Jongwoon had gone. Kyuhyun caught the hint, his eyes widening. " _Ryeowook._ " 

"I love him, Kyuhyun. And it's not like it's forbidden or anything! There's nothing in our laws that says we can't," Ryeowook said, suddenly on the defensive. Kyuhyun groaned and rested his forehead in the palm of his head. "Tell me one good reason why I shouldn't stay here for him."

"He's _human_ , for one thing, and you're not," said Kyuhyun, brows furrowed. "Besides, how can you say you love him? You haven't even known him an entire season!"

"Because when I see him, it's like the feeling you get when the trees dance to the autumn wind," replied Ryeowook quietly. "When I hear him, it's like the music of the leaves as they change. I've never felt anything like it, except in the joy that autumn brings me. Short a time though it's been, Jongwoon has become like a home to me."

Kyuhyun frowned, thinking carefully how to respond to that. Worry and irritation tinged his tone as he continued. "Eventually you're going to have to return, and he's going to forget you as soon as you leave this realm. In the end, the only one who will be hurt is you. Why would you even put yourself through that?"

"What would you do if I told you I didn't intend to return?" said Ryeowook.

The slap came so quickly Ryeowook didn't have time to blink, resonating across the wide lawn of the park. Ryeowook almost reeled in shock, quickly holding a hand against the sting of his cheek. If Kyuhyun was angry earlier, he was absolutely furious now. "Do you understand the gravity of what you just said?" he asked, his voice low and deadly. "We may be immortal but we are not infalliable. You will fade, Ryeowook, and not just from his memories. We're spirits—"

"I know what we are!" shouted Ryeowook. "I know what will happen. I'll cease to exist if I run out of power and can't do my duty. I _know_ this, and it scares the hell out of me! Yet despite that, I can't bring myself to leave him. The thought of him forgetting me scares me just as much!" By the time he finished, his chest heaved at the effort it took for him to draw in air. "And it scares me that I don't know how I got to this point," he added, much quieter after a beat.

Kyuhyun was quiet for a long moment after that, his eyes wide and mouth hanging open slightly. Ryeowook could only stand there in humiliated silence, tears nearly freezing on his lashes as he fought them back. Finally, Kyuhyun murmured, "You really do love him." It wasn't a question, but Ryeowook nodded anyway. Kyuhyun sighed. "Come here, then."

Before Ryeowook could respond, Kyuhyun had moved forward and taken him by the arm. "What—?" 

"You're going to need power to hold you over, and I need to see how much you need. You know as well as I do you can't sense how much of your own power you've got left." Kyuhyun said. "I can't give you much now, but at the very least this should be enough to hold you partway through winter." He pushed the sleeve of Ryeowook sleeve up so that skin met skin, and he closed his eyes. On an inhale it seems the world stopped for a measure, and then he began to hum. 

Ryeowook's watched in awed silence — he'd heard of spirits giving each other energy, but he'd never been witness to it before, so rarely did a situation call for it. He hadn't even known Kyuhyun knew how. 

Warmth flooded through him, from his wrist where Kyuhyun gripped him up his arm and to his chest. Ryeowook hadn't realized how much of a toll being in the human realm took on him until that moment, and the power that Kyuhyun gave him was like a breath of fresh air. By the time Kyuhyun let his arm go, he had gone pale. 

"That's as much as I can spare," he said, exhaustion clear in his voice. "I'm going to have to go straight back to the realm, but I'll come back as often as I can manage." 

Ryeowook stared at Kyuhyun, not sure he quite believed his ears. "Why are you helping me?" 

"Because if I don't help you, you'll fade, and I'm not about to stand here and let you throw yourself away like that." He turned his back to Ryeowook, but Ryeowook caught the pink tinge that covered over his ears and smiled. Kyuhyun didn't like showing the fact that he cared so deeply, preferring to mask his feelings with an annoyed attitude. 

"Thank you," he said, and he meant it. Kyuhyun merely shrugged. 

"I don't know how long you'll be able to keep this up," he cautioned. "You owe me big time. And don't forget that he's human. His time in this world is limited; that's about the only thing we have in common." With that, Kyuhyun vanished on a gust of the breeze. Ryeowook stared at the spot where he'd been for a long while, contemplating his friend's words. 

Jongwoon's voice carried across the park, breaking Ryeowook from his thoughts. Jongwoon held up two cups, waving Ryeowook over when he saw that Ryeowook was alone. Ryeowook rubbed his eyes, and turned to Jongwoon with a smile. If their time together was marked, he'd just have to treasure every moment of it.

—

The little green light on Ryeowook's phone blinked up at him in the darkness, just as it had for the last six hours. He always felt bummed after meeting with Kyuhyun — he hated being a burden on his friend, after all — but for the first time in twelve seasons he questioned if he had made a bad decision in staying here all that time ago. He didn't regret it, not by any stretch of the imagination. But he should have known that borrowing power from another spirit was not a solution he could have maintained indefinitely. 

And now he had a decision to make, and he wasn't sure he had the courage to push Kyuhyun away and stay with Jongwoon until… until the end. 

He sighed, finally bringing his phone up to his face and sliding the bar across to unlock it. It was unlike him to put off answering Jongwoon's messages, but considering the circumstances he felt like he was entitled to gathering himself before tackling that particular hurdle. There were three messages now.

From: Jongwoon  
Time: 10:41  
Msg: _Be ready for a cold day, bright and early tomorrow, ok? Make sure your Sunday is free. I'll pick you up around 9. Oh, and wear gloves!_

Ryeowook couldn't help but smile. Jongwoon knew Ryeowook had Sunday off, but never failed to remind him to make his plans scarce. He liked being spontaneous. The second message came in about an hour after that. 

From: Jongwoon  
Time: 11:56  
Msg: _I hope they didn't call you in for lessons on a Saturday! That's cruel and unusal punishment lol_

He was fishing for a reply, Ryeowook thought. Even when he was really busy, Ryeowook made a habit of replying to his messages right away, even if only just a "can't talk right now, ttyl" kind of thing. 

From: Jongwoon  
Time: 16:02  
Msg: _Is everything ok?_

That was blatant worry, and guilt gnawed at Ryeowook. He quickly typed out a reply, frowning at the screen as though it was the one that made him ignore Jongwoon. Before he could change his mind otherwise, he clicked send, then threw the phone down on the blanket and smothered his face in his pillow. He made his decision. 

Tomorrow, he would leave Jongwoon for good. 

To: Jongwoon  
Time: 16:25  
Msg: _I'm ok, sorry for making you worry. Sunday plans sound like fun! Let's make it the best day ever, ok? Love you~_

—

When Ryeowook stepped outside, the cold slammed into him like a truck and he gasped, pulling his scarf tighter around his chin. _It's freezing! Way too cold for this time of year…_ he thought worriedly. _I really am losing my powers… Kyuhyun was right, I've probably got a few days left at best. There's no way I can hold off winter like this._ Then he shook his head, as though dispelling the negative thoughts. _No sadness today! Everything is going to be perfect today, and then tomorrow you can worry about that._

There was a chuckle from behind him, and Ryeowook jumped. Jongwoon had a cheesy grin, and a steaming cup he offered in his outstretched hand. "I did warn you that it was supposed to be cold today," he said, grinning even wider when Ryeowook frowned at him.. "But here! And don't worry, there's more where that came from." He held up a large thermos just to prove his point. 

Ryeowook took the offered cup gladly and thanked Jongwoon, relishing in the warmth that seeped through his gloves. He looked back up and saw Jongwoon had turned toward the elevator, showing a backpack with very lumpy contents. "What's that for?" he asked.

Jongwoon winked holding a finger to his lips. "It's a secret! You'll find out when we get there." 

"Where exactly is there?" Ryeowook said, quirking an eyebrow. 

"That's a secret, too!" Jongwoon grabbed Ryeowook by the hand and dragged him into the opening elevator, effectively cutting off any further interrogations on Ryeowook's part. Ryeowook couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips when Jongwoon didn't let go, instead lacing their fingers together and giving an encouraging squeeze. 

"Lead the way, then." 

Jongwoon kissed him on the temple before the elevator doors opened, his cheeky grin softening. There was something in his eyes that Ryeowook couldn't quite distinguish, but it lingered only for a brief moment before he blinked and it was gone. "We're going to be doing a lot of walking, I hope you know!" Jongwoon said cheerily. His enthusiasm was contagious, and Ryeowook felt his mood improving by the second. He could push the anxiety back to the furthest reaches of his mind, if only through Jongwoon's smile. 

They rode the subway for what felt an age, and then Jongwoon hailed them a taxi. Ryeowook watched as the buildings of the inner city thinned out, giving way to trees and stretches of rolling hills. The taxi finally came to a halt, and Ryeowook climbed out while Jongwoon paid the driver. 

"A national park?" Ryeowook wondered aloud. He took in a deep breath, the familiar scent of autumn wrapping around him like a blanket. The canopy of trees around the entrance to the park blazed like fire, and Ryeowook had a half-formed thought that Jongwoon might have figured him out. 

Jongwoon waved the taxi driver off and, once he was sure they were alone, draped himself around Ryeowook from behind. "We're going hiking!" he said, and Ryeowook could feel Jongwoon's warm breath on his ear. "There's a place I want you to see. I think you'll like it." 

Butterflies fluttered in Ryeowook's chest. "Well then, we ought to start walking, right?" Jongwoon nodded, pressing another kiss to the nape of Ryeowook's neck and linked their hands again to drag him along. What had gotten into him to make him so unusually affectionate (at least for being in public), Ryeowook didn't know. He was fairly certain today wasn't a particularly special day. He couldn't bring himself to question it, though; he quite enjoyed it. 

Before long the both of them were panting from exertion and neither of them had much of the breath to talk. But Jongwoon led him with an excitement that couldn't be extinguished, hurrying along the path like he knew the way by heart. It was all Ryeowook could do to keep up. 

Suddenly, Jongwoon came to a halt in front of him, and Ryeowook collided with his back. "Ow! What's that for?" He groaned, rubbing his nose. Jongwoon rubbed the back of neck sheepishly.

"Sorry," he said. "We're almost there, and I want to surprise you, so…" he trailed off, then circled around Ryeowook and covered his eyes, leaning into his back. "No peeking, okay? Just keep walking straight. I won't let you run into any trees, I promise."

"I couldn't peek even if I tried," Ryeowook muttered, amused. It was awkward, trying to stumble forward blindly with Jongwoon so close behind him, but he managed. They must have gone ten meters before Jongwoon stopped them both once more. 

"Ready?" Jongwoon said, practically jittery. He pulled his hands from Ryeowook's face, and Ryeowook couldn't help the gasp that took him.

They had come to a lake in the middle of the woods, lined with trees clear up to its bank on all sides. The trees themselves were alit with the colors of autumn, the evergreen of the fir trees blending into the oranges of the elders and the reds and yellows of the rowans and the browns of the maples. The water shone like glass, and Ryeowook had to take a second look before he realized that it was because the lake had frozen over, a solid layer of ice reflecting the trees like a mirror. His breath left him, astonished by the beauty of it all.

"Jongwoon, this place is gorgeous," he breathed. Still, that niggling fear he'd felt when he left this morning wormed it's way back up to the surface. _Already a deep freeze and it's not even the solstice yet…_

Jongwoon looked very proud of himself. "I'm glad you agree," he said, beaming. "I found this place recently and I just had to show you. I know how much you love autumn, and since I love winter so much, it was like fate that they mixed like this here." 

Ryeowook closed his eyes, and felt himself gathering a little strength just from being surrounded by so much of his season. His lips twitched upwards as he took it all in, even as Jongwoon rustled in his backpack behind him. Then Jongwoon shoved something heavy in his hands, and his eyes snapped open. 

"Ever been ice skating before?" Ryeowook blinked, looking down at the skates in his hands in confusion, before the confusion quickly turned to a stammering panic.

"Oh, no, Jongwoon, we can't, we don't know if it's safe!" Jongwoon only laughed, bending down to pull on his skates. 

"Trust me, Wook, it's safe. I wouldn't have brought you here if I thought otherwise," he promised. "And I promise, I'll only laugh a little bit if you fall. As I help you up, scout's honor." That cheeky grin was back. Ryeowook gulped down the nerves and tried and failed to look annoyed.

"If I fall, I'll pulling you down with me," he muttered, slowly moving to follow Jongwoon's lead and willing his fingers not to tremble as he loosened the laces. 

Jongwoon had finished putting on his skates with ease, while Ryeowook struggled to lace them back up properly. "Here, let me help," Jongwoon said, guiding Ryeowook's hands. "You want to make sure they're good and tight around your ankles, don't want you breaking anything." Ryeowook gulped. Of course Jongwoon had to bring up any possible consequences this misadventure could end him up in.

To his credit, he only let a little of his apprehension show on his face as he let Jongwoon lead him to the edge of the bank. Jongwoon slid backward onto it easily so that he was facing Ryeowook, both arms outstretched. "Hold on to me, and I won't let you fall. I promise." He had such a hopeful look on his face. 

_For Jongwoon, and one last day,_ Ryeowook thought with abandon. He took Jongwoon's hands in his and stepped cautiously onto the ice. His legs wobbled a bit, but between Jongwoon and a generally decent sense of balance he kept his footing. Jongwoon waited until he was good and steady before guiding him out, encouraging him to take it slow. 

"You're doing great," Jongwoon said. "It's just like walking, see?" Ryeowook nodded, not really trusting himself to try and talk and skate at the same time just yet. Jongwoon cooed more encouraging words to him and, slowly, a smile grew on Ryeowook's face. 

"This… is actually not too bad," he admitted. Jongwoon's face lit up. 

"It's fun, right?" 

"Yeah." And Ryeowook wasn't lying. It _was_ kinda fun, once he got the hang of it. "I think I can do this!" 

And of course, it was no sooner had he uttered the words that he stumbled. Jongwoon of course caught him, true to his word. Ryeowook umphed against his chest as he tried to right himself, and Jongwoon only chuckled a little, he swore it. "Don't laugh at me," Ryeowook whined. 

"I would never laugh at you," he said. Ryeowook pouted up at him. Jongwoon took the opportunity to press a kiss to that pout, mischief in his eyes. It was little more than a peck, but all the same Ryeowook blushed bright red. Jongwoon just grinned. "Come on, let's try again."

Eventually, Ryeowook felt comfortable enough to let go of his death grip on Jongwoon's hands. A few times he wobbled, but Jongwoon hovered close enough to catch him if needed. A few strides more and Ryeowook came to something relatively close to skating on his own and not just shuffling. 

"See, there you go! You've got it now," Jongwoon encouraged. Ryeowook looked up, feeling proud of himself, but was startled by how far he'd drifted from Jongwoon's side. 

"H-hey, get over here!" he stammered. "I'm not that good yet!" 

"You've got it," Jongwoon repeated, skating backwards away from Ryeowook. _Show off_ , Ryeowook thought. "Try to come to me instead. It's good practice, and then we can _really_ have some fun!"

"I think you and I have different definitions of fun!" said Ryeowook, but he started to make his way across the ice regardless. He was doing fine, good, even, until the blade of one of his skates ran over a crater on the ice. Unsteady as he was, it was enough to send him sprawling forward, crashing face first off his feet.

 _Crack._

Ryeowook whimpered as the sound rang in his ears. Beneath his shoulder, where the worst of the impact had been, the ice splintered out in hairline faults. His eyes widened, and he shot a terrified look at Jongwoon. Jongwoon definitely wasn't smiling now. Ryeowook tried to stand, slipping slightly as he rolled over onto his stomach. He had barely got himself to his knees before the ice shifted beneath him with more thunderous cracking and he froze. 

"Don't try to move anymore, Ryeowook!" Jongwoon called, panic clear on his own face, as well. He was so far away, too far, and they both knew that if he tried to get close enough the ice wouldn't hold their weight. "Just hold still, okay?" 

_I'm going to fall through_ , Ryeowook thought, and the notion sent chills down his spine more than the cold of the ice against his palms, even seeping through his gloves. He scrunched his eyes shut tight. _I'm going to fall through and the only choice I'll have is to send myself back and I won't get to say goodbye…!_

"Jongwoon…" he started, but the words choked him. He gulped, shivers coursing through him again, this time setting his whole body to tremble. So scared was he that he felt like winter itself was closing in on him, the air dropping in temperature rapidly. 

All of a sudden, he heard singing. And not just any singing. Even in the midst of his panic, Ryeowook recognized the magic of his kind immediately. His eyes snapped open and he looked up at Jongwoon, shock overtaking his face. 

Jongwoon knelt where he'd stood at the edge of the frozen lake, both his ungloved hands pressed flat against the ice. His eyes were closed and the music spilled from his lips, almost pulsing in the air around them. Realization came to Ryeowook all at once, and it stole the words from him. The cracks in the ice melded together beneath him, solid and sturdy once more. 

As quickly as it began, it was over. Jongwoon was at his side in an instant, not meeting his eyes as he slipped an arm under his shoulders and knees and picked him up. "I'm so, so sorry, Ryeowook," he said, carrying him to the solid bank and setting him down. "I should have listened to you, the ice wasn't as safe as I thought. I thought I'd froze it well and good but I should have known I was too weak to… I should have listened." He hung his chin down, fists clenched at his side. "It's okay if you think I'm a freak, now," he added, quietly. "It won't matter, after this."

Ryeowook just stared, seeing Jongwoon as though it were the first time he'd ever seen him clearly. "You're a Son of Winter…" he muttered, and Jongwoon's head snapped up, eyes wide and disbelieving. It gave Ryeowook a proper view of his face — he looked white as the driven snow, dark circles under his eyes. Ryeowook's breath hitched. Everything was clicking into place, but none more so than the consequences for what had just happened. "How much power did that… did you use just now?" 

Jongwoon's jaw dropped open. "You… you know what I am?" 

_He thinks I'm human,_ thought Ryeowook. "Jongwoon, just how close are you to fading?" he asked instead. The irony of it all caused a teary laugh to bubble up past his lips. They both had thought the other was human, and they had pushed their very existence to the brink for each other. If Jongwoon was in anything close to the same shape that Ryeowook was, then that last blast of sheer power could have spelled the end of Jongwoon. 

"I…" Jongwoon gaped as he searched for the words. That was answer enough to Ryeowook. He reached over and grabbed Jongwoon by the wrist, pulling him so that he was sitting beside him. Ryeowook pushed the sleeves of Jongwoon's coat up, much the same way Kyuhyun had done it that wintry day three years ago. He pulled his gloves off with his teeth and pressed skin to skin.

"I was going to leave you tonight," Ryeowook said, closing his eyes and letting himself feel for the vein of power that coursed through Jongwoon. It was there, pulsing weakly, and Ryeowook's fear was confirmed. Jongwoon had used the very last of his strength to save him, and he had precious little time left. "I'd put it off as long as I could because I didn't want you to forget me. You were human, after all, and as soon as I left this realm, so would your memories of me."

Understanding lit behind Jongwoon's eyes, and he tried to yank his arm from Ryeowook's grip. But Ryeowook held on tight, not letting Jongwoon go. "I was going to tell you everything before I left, even if you weren't going to remember any of it. Kyuhyun warned me, you know. He said a spirit and a human could never last, that he was going to make me go back before I faded." 

"Ryeowook, don't you dare," Jongwoon interrupted, still struggling against Ryeowook's surprisingly strong grip. Ryeowook continued like he hadn't said anything.

"I just wanted to spend one more day with you. And I guess it was the same for you, too. We were so blinded by each other that we couldn't see the forest for the trees. I'm just thankful for the time that I got with you." Tears fell unbidden now, and Ryeowook swallowed past the lump in his throat. "I'm sorry, Jongwoon. I can't let you fade. I can't." 

With that, he began to sing. Jongwoon shouted — surely he could feel the barely-there pulse of Ryeowook's own power, surely he knew what giving even a little of it away meant — but still Ryeowook sang. It felt nice, being on the giving end for once. Now Jongwoon was crying too, begging Ryeowook to stop. He leaned forward and pressed their foreheads together, gripping the sleeve on Ryeowook's shirt with his free hand. 

Ryeowook waited until the last possible second to pull back, notes trailing off and reverberating solemnly off the ice and into the trees. He gave Jongwoon everything he had, and saved only enough to give him time to send Jongwoon off. "Go back now, Jongwoon. Go back to our realm. Promise me that you won't fade."

"I promise," Jongwoon choked. "But you have to promise too. I'll gather some strength and I'll come right back for you, so you have to just hold on. Please." They both knew that there was no time for that. Even though Ryeowook had given him everything, including what Kyuhyun had spared him, it was barely enough to ensure that Jongwoon made the journey back. There was no telling how long it'd take for him to return for Ryeowook. 

Jongwoon reached around and grabbed him by the back of his head, pulling him in for a desperate kiss. Ryeowook held on for as long as he could bear, before pushing Jongwoon away with a gentle shove. "Go now," he whispered. Jongwoon looked like he wanted to protest, but one look from Ryeowook and he vanished. Ryeowook smiled despite himself, feeling the ghost of Jongwoon's touch on him even after the other had gone.

Then he laid back and stared up into the brightly burning canopy of leaves, still wearing the skates that Jongwoon had so lovingly helped him put on. Tears trailed down either temple as he felt the last of his strength waning. Maybe fading wouldn't be so bad, not in such a beautiful place as this. 

Ryeowook felt the tug, and he closed his eyes and knew no more.

—

When he woke, the first thing Ryeowook recognized was the brilliant reds and golds he was so familiar with. They swam together, all blurred lines as he blinked the world into focus, and at first he thought perhaps he hadn't left the lake where he thought for sure he'd faded. Hadn't he faded? Is this what came after? 

The next thing he recognized was a tuft of dark hair peering over him, sharp eyes and sharper frown. "Kyuhyun," Ryeowook croaked, voice rough from disuse. So he hadn't faded, then. But how…? 

"You're an idiot," Kyuhyun said, shaking his head. Ryeowook forced himself to sit up, realizing that the reds and golds he'd seen were Kyuhyun's ceremonial robes. The gears grinded together in his brain as he tried to think. Kyuhyun must have seen it on his face, because he continued. "Yes, we're back in our realm now. You're lucky I got to you when I did, a moment later and you'd be long gone."

"How did you find me?"

Kyuhyun's frown became more pronounced. "Some winter spirit came storming our doors down about two weeks ago. He was screaming, 'Ryeowook's fading, he's fading!' And it was peculiar to me, because as far as I knew I was the only one aware of your predicament." 

Ryeowook's eyes widened. "Jongwoon," he breathed. 

Kyuhyun nodded. "As soon as he saw me he knew who I was, and he begged me to go get you. Told me where you were, what you'd done. Didn't I tell you not to overexert yourself, idiot? I found you unconscious and you were very nearly gone. The elders were in a right state when I brought you to them. I had to tell them everything, it was beyond me to bring you back from that edge. They're not happy with you."

Ryeowook took it all in in silence, head hung low. He knew he deserved whatever punishment they deemed fit to give him, but that was the furthest thing from his mind. He wanted to ask if Jongwoon was okay, if they'd turned him away at the door and didn't let him in their midst. There weren't laws amongst their kind prohibiting interaction with the spirits of the other seasons outside of the solstices and equinoxes, but it certainly didn't happen every day. But he bit his tongue; he wasn't in any position to trouble Kyuhyun any more than he had. 

A snort came from Kyuhyun. "Quit thinking so much, idiot. Things could be worse. You could be stuck on solstice ceremony duty." He gestured down at his robes, nose wrinkling in distaste. "Though you might well be in seasons to come. Oh well. I have to get going, so rest some more. Not that you need to sleep more after sleeping for nearly three weeks. The elders are probably gonna wanna see you soon." 

He clapped Ryeowook on the shoulder as he often did, before turning with a flourish and heading to leave. But he paused in the doorway. "It seems it might be colder than usual this solstice." Before Ryeowook could ponder what that meant, he was gone, and someone else pushed his way through the door. 

"Ryeowook!" 

It was as though the sight of Jongwoon alone stole the breath from him, and in the time it took to blink he had an armful of Jongwoon. He hugged Jongwoon fiercely, burrowing his face into Jongwoon's neck. Even if Kyuhyun had said Jongwoon had made it back, it was another thing entirely to see him here.

"You're okay, you're okay," Jongwoon cried, pulling back so he could cup Ryeowook's face between both of his hands. "God, Ryeowook, don't you ever do that again. You scared the life out of me, and I'm not even human." 

It was enough to get a watery laugh out of Ryeowook. "What a pair we are. How did we not see it, Jongwoon? How did we miss something so monumental? I mean, we heard each other singing and everything. Touched skin to skin enough times, and still I never once sensed your power, until that day."

Jongwoon smoothed Ryeowook's hair from his face, eyes roving as though trying to memorize everything about him. "I don't know," he said, after a pause. "I guess it's easy to be blind to something you don't know to look for. We were so caught up in making every moment count because we thought the other was human." 

"And all that time, too…" Ryeowook murmured. "Kyuhyun reckons they won't let me go back. Not for a long time, at least." 

"Nor I," Jongwoon admitted. "I may have the human realm to thank for meeting you, but I nearly lost you to it. Nearly lost myself to it. The seasons will come and go as they are fated to do. We will get our chance to sing them into being again someday. But for now… " He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to Ryeowook's lips, smiling softly when Ryeowook met him in kind. "For now, I will be content that you won't forget me after all."

The thought made Ryeowook feel a hundred times lighter. "And you won't forget me, either. So long as there are seasons, I will love you. Our time isn't marked, anymore. I like the sound of forever."

Jongwoon grinned. "At last, forever."


End file.
